Bottle holder



April 4, 1944. E, L ARNESON 2,345,567

BOTTLE HOLDER Filed April 6, 1942 v3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 7l 660 7E;

BY C?,

E. L. ARNESON BOTTLE HOLDER April 4, 1944.

Filed April 6, 1942 3 Shee'bs-Sheerl 2 Q INVENTOR. du/fz l. Zr/Z660@ April 4, 1944. E. L ARNESON BOTTLE HOLDER Filed April 6, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR @W2/650m BY @www nauw@ romeo-Ameise 2.345.567 no1-ru: nomma adwlnnameom'm roil-uno muon-n Yn VY pollution Aprile, 1942. seem No. mais Y lz Claims. (cozza-sz) This invention relates to bottlel holders such as maybemade of paperboard, whichare designed for the of. a pluralityVl of bottles of beverage and the .like in a manner'to permit their being carried. conveniently.

object of the invention is the proviof its portions:

siongof such a container which may be fabricated easilyzand economically from paper board in a ilat folded or collapsed conditiomand which may besetupveryquicklyandeasilybytheuser without requiring any sort ofsetting up apparatusor additional fastenings; and which in its set-up condition is adapted to receive and retain a plurality of bottles of beverage securely and with substantial areas ofthe contained bottles exposed for purpose of inspection o r display.

A particular object of the invention is the provision of such acontainer equipped with a carryingV handle I simple character in Ysunthdfasllitin 'thatvthe handle isretained securely assembled with the container. 'and the. latter safeguarded against being torn from of the contents.v

er having the attributes above and which may be made of .a height'less than the bottles for which it is and in its dimensions does not materially exceed the area occupiedby the contained bottles.

Other and Vfurther objects of the invention will .be pointed out .or indicated hereinafter or willY beapparent tooneskllledintheartuponanlmderstanding of the "invention, oruse of it in practice. Y

For the purpose of aiding in an explanation of the invention, VI show in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speclcatiom and hereinafter described, certain forms in which it maybe embodied. It is to be understood, however, that these are presented merely for purpose portions of the blank may be folded;

2 is spion view of me same blank after portions thereof have been folded in the process A. of fabricating the container;

*he handle' by( this another object le the provision of looking at the end nntnerololng end fastening together of some Fig. l ls o detail showing the oompletely folded containerl lexed to an arched form incident to v the amembling of one' formV of handle withit;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the container in its fully set-up condition and with handle attached, ready for reception of bottles:

Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the same. but of the container opposite that shown in Fig- 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view similarto Fig. 5

and showing all but one ofthe bottle content in of a verticalsection in the plane 8 8 of Fig. 6

'- ofmodilledform. with some of its parts folded,

piace in the container; Fig'. 8 is a detail, on a larger scale, in the nature and illustrating the fashion in which the handle is engaged with the container;

' Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the completed container in an almost completely collapsed con dition;

Fig-1o is' a plan view'of a portion of a blank said vblank being designed for the production of a modiiied form of container; and

11 isa vertical section through the upper portion of such modiiled form of `container with a modified Iorl'nV offhandle assembled therewith.

'of illustration and hence are not to be construed rig. apiseplanvlewftnesomebnnkanerthe The nature of the invention will be most quickly understood from the` following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments shown inthedrawingsrf The blank illustrated in Fig. lV may be cut out by means of a die from a 'sheet of. paperboard -or the like having the requisite strength and stillness. Y Portions of said blank are marked olf `by fold creases or score` lines to provide `side panels Il and I I which remain connected to each other at their upper ends along the foldcrease a, and abottom panel I2 which remains integral with the lower end of side panel III along a fold,

crease b. Side panel II has a connectingtlap .I4 at its lowerr end, said connecting flap being foldable angularly to the panelV I I .along a fold crease c. and said connecting flap including locking tabs I 3 withV projecting orV overhanging ends. The side panels Il and Il have lateral sections I5 extending beyond lateral fold creases d, and the bottom panel I2 has end sections I6 marked oif by end fold creases e. The bottom panel is provided with locking apertures Il located symmetrically in reference to the locking' tongues I3 and of less width than said tonguea'but adapted t0 permit passage of the tongues through them when the projecting or overhanging ends of said tongues are flexed angulariy along fold creases` f. The lateral sections I 5 are provided with fold creases g in alignment with the crest fold crease a, diagonal fold creases h diverging from approximately the point of intersection of creases a and d, and flexing scores or creases i divergilig from the opposite ends of the fold crease b. Portions of the side panels I8 and I I are cut out to provide lateral bottle receiving apertlues I8 and I8' in symmetrical arrangement, and between its apertures I8 side panel I0 is slotted through with slots I3, and 2| and provided with fold creases i and k to form a separator tongue 22 and a pair of separator flaps 24. Side panel is slotted through at 25, 28 and 21 to provide a pair of separator flaps 28 and a top iiap 29 which are ilexible out of the plane of the side panel along fold creases m and n respectively. Side panel is also provided with a transverse fold crease p extending across the lateral sections l5 and the flaps 28 and interrupted by the apertures I8'.

The diagonal fold creases h subdivide the lateral sections I5 into'the end wall portions 3l and 3| and tuck portions 32 and 34, and score lines i mark oiI securing portions 33 from sections 3|. In locations adjacent the intersection of the fold creases a and d, the tuck portions are punched to provide apertures 35, and the tuck portions 34 are slotted through along curved lines 36 extending from said apertures 35 to the fold crease g to provide a. hook-shaped bearing tongues 31. On the crest fold crease a the side panels are punched to provide handle holes 38 located a short distance inwardly from the fold creases d.

The blank having been formed as above described, the further fabrication of the container is proceeded with by rst folding the lateral sections inwardly along the fold creases d until they are brought flat against the side panels, and likewise folding inwardly the bottom end flaps I6 along the fold creases e unl they are brought at against the bottom panel. The securing portions 33 are then re-folded outwardly along the scores i until they come dat upon the adjacent end wall portions 3|. As thus folded the blank is in the form illustrated in Fig. 2. Adhesive is then applied to the connecting flap I4, but not to the tongues I3, and to the upwardly presented surfaces of the securing portions 33, as in the areas marked with stippling in Fig. 2. Then the bottom panel is folded over along the fold crease b so as to bring the bottom end sections |6 against the upwardly presented surfaces of the securing portions 33, so that those parts are secured to each other by adhesive. Then the side panel is folded over along the fold crease p, which brings the connecting ap I4 down onto the upwardly presented surface of the bottom panel and positions the locking tongues I3 over the apertures I1, the connecting flap thereby being fastened to the bottom panel by the adhesive. The parts as thus folded bear the relationship illustrated in Fig. 3, which completes the fabrication of the container. It will be ob- ,served that the container as thus fabricated is in a flat folded or collapsed condition and, when viewed from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 3, has the aspect shown in Fig. 9. It is to be observed, however, that in Fig. 9 the overlying portions have been drawn slightly away from the underlying portions so that the parts may be more clearly shown. In the flat collapsed condition the containers may be stacked and packaged for shipment in very compact arrangement.

For assembly with the container above described, I provide a rigid pre-formed handle such as illustrated in Fig. 4, which comprises a bail having leg portions 4l with journal-like support portions 4| extending toward each other in alignment from the ends of the leg portions. 'Ihe leg portions at the poiiit where they join the support portions 4| are spaced from each other a distance corresponding to the spacing of the handle holes 38 of the container. Such handle may be formed of stii wire and is supplied to the user separate from the container. To attach such a handle to a container, the latter, in its fiat collapsed form, is flexed to an arched form as illustrated in Fig. 4, thus bringing the handle holes 38 to positions where the ends of the support portions 4I may be inserted through them and through the openings 35. After the support por. tions have been thus inserted, the arched container is released and allowed to spring back to its normal straight form, thereby moving the handle holes 38 out to the leg portions 40 and mounting the container on the support portions 4| with the latter underlying the bearing tongues 31.

The container, with its handle thus attached, is now ready to be set up for reception of lthe intended bottles. With the container in the condition illustrated in Fig. 9, this is accomplished by pressing the fold crease p toward the opposite fold crease b, which has the effect of raising the crest fold crease a and swinging the side panel upwardly along fold crease c and side panel lll upwardly along fold crease b, and at the same time flexing the side panels to angular relationship with each other along crest fold crease a. As side panel I0 swings upwardly away from the bottom panel, end wall portions 3| and end sections IS will be swung outwardly to approxi- -mately vertical positions over the ends of the K sections 3Il and 3| causes exing of the sheet along fold creases h and moves tuck portions 32 and 34 into surface engagement with each other in positions where they extend inwardly from end wall sections 30 and 3| over approximately the median line of the bottom panel. The tuck portions 32 and 34, by virtue of their surface engagement with each other and their connection at their upper ends, stien the end wall sections 30 and 3| and brace Ithem against being swung outwardly past the ends of the bottom panel. The connection of the end wall sections 3| to the bottom panel by means of the portions 33 and I8, and the engagement of the lower portion of end wall sections 3Il against the bottom end sections I6, also retain the end wall portions against being forced outwardly beyond the ends of the bottom. When the end Wall sections 3B and 3| are swung out to positions over the ends of the bottom panel, the upper ends of the tuck flaps 32 and 34 are swung downwardly away from the crest crease line a, so that they slope downwardly from the upper corners of the container, as illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 8. It is to be observed, however, that the journal portions 4| of the handle are engaged under the tongues 31 and, consequently, either at the time that the upper ends of the tuck flaps 32 and 34 are swung downwardly from the crest crease a, or at some subsequent time in the setting up or filling of the container, the handle draws the tongues 31 upwardly from the ends of the tuck flaps 32 and 34, as to the position illustrated in Fig. 8. Accordingly, when the container and itscontents are suspended by means of the handle, these tongues 31 form reinforcements or buffers between the crest of the container and the handle journals, and relieve the material along the crest crease of a considerable proportion of the stress,

Y thereby providing a safeguard against the tearing out of the handle. Such engagement of the bearing tongues 31 with the handle journals also relieves the crest portion of the container from the wearing action of the handle journals, and also forms an additional anchor for holding the tuck sections 32 and 34 against being swung outwardly past the ends of the bottom panel.

At a convenient time in the setting-up procedure, either before or after the container is expanded to its wedge or triangular form, the locking tongues I3, from the position shown in Fig. 3, are pressed inwardly through the locking apertures I1, so that they reach positions such as illustrated in Fig. 5, where they constitute interlocking connections between the connecting flap I4 and the bottom panel I2. 'I'his interlocking connection is provided for the purpose of safety, so that the connection of the parts for support of the weight of the contents is not dependent entirely on the adhesive attachment of the bottom panel and connecting flap. Consequently, even though the adhesive connection may be rendered entirely ineffective, the parts will still be retained securely connected by this interlocking connection so as to carry the contents safely and securely.

After the device has been set up as above described, it has the appearance illustrated in Figs. 5 andl 6, and is ready to receive the contents of bottles. to hold six bottles standing upright on the bottom panel in two rows ofl three bottles each. The length of the bottom panel is approximately the same as the length of a row of three of the intended bottles standing upright and in contact with one another and the width of the bottom panel is aproximately the same as the width of two bottles standing side by side. The apertures I8 and I8' are of a size to permit insertion vof the bottles, bottoms first, and in the loading of the container, the four bottles may be inserted simultaneously into the said apertures. The bottles so inserted rest laterally against end wall sections and 3I and their insertion between the opposite side panels forces portions of the latterwhich are below the apertures I8 and I8' outwardly somewhat, with the result that the side panels securely grip said bottles when they are standing upright on the bottom panel. The tuck sections 32 and 34 constitute separators which keep the bottles in the opposite apertures I3 and I8' from grinding against each other. After the four outermost bottles have thus been inserted, the two intermediate bottles may then be inserted simultaneously, one at each side. The intermediate bottle which is inserted through the side panel III is pressed, bottom first', against the tongue 22 and separator flaps 24, and at the same time the bottle at the opposite side is pressed, bottom first, against the separator flaps 28. As

As here shown, the container is designed these bottles are pressed toward each other, the Y 'l5 tongue 22 and the flaps 24 and 23 are all swung inwardly, tongue 22 swinging inwardly along line k, fiaps 24 along lines i, and flaps 23 along lines m, so that when the intermediate bottles are forced to upright position on the bottom panel, the tongue 22 will be a separator between them and the flaps 24 and 28 will be separators between the intermediate and lateral bottles. With the six bottles thus loaded into the container, all are very firmly held, but at the same time very extensive proportions of them are exposed to view, which is desirable for purposes of inspection and advertising effect.

The filled package may be carried very conveniently and safely by means of the handle. as the weight oi the contents is supported through the end walls 30 and 3|, and is not dependent to any substantial extent upon the relatively narrow connections of the flap portions along lines and m. Any of the bottles may be removed with facility without disturbing any of the others or involving any dismantling or unfolding of the container. After even all of the bottles are removed, the container still remains in its set-up condition for reception of the empty bottles. Upon return of the device to the bottler, in order to conserve storage space, it may be again folded to fiat collapsed form until required for use for the packaging of another lot of filled bottles, at which time it may be set up quickly and with facility as above described.

In Figs. l0 and 11 I show a modified form of construction which may conform to the foregoing in all particles with the exception that it is adapted for the use of another type of handle. The various parts correspond in general to those above described, and the corresponding parts are designated by like reference characters. The difference between the two forms resides primarily in the fact that instead of the two spaced handle holes I provide a comparatively long continuous slot 50 along the crest fold crease, and instead of slotting out the bearing tongues at the upper ends of the tuck flaps, I leave them integrally connected at their middle portions by means of parts 5I. Fig. 10 shows the blank before the final folding, but with part of the bottom panel omitted.

For use with a container of this character, I provide a handle such as shown in Fig. 1l. This handle is blanked out of heavy cardboard so as to provide a bail portion 52 the width of which corresponds to the length of the handle slot 50. Projecting in opposite directions from the ends of the bailportion are support or shoulder portions 54 having upwardly and outwardly sloping edges. This handle may be inserted through the handle slot 50 from within the container before it is completely set up in the triangular form, and when in its final position, the outer and upper end portions of the support portions 54 engage the side panels at the top crease line a closely adjacent the weight-supporting end walls 3|, and the strap portions 5I rest upon the sloping upper margin of said support portions. 'I'his provides a strong and secure support for the container upon the handle. In forming the nger opening 55, a portion of the material 53 is left in piace and is creased so that it will roll or bend laterally along parallel lines to form a gripping portion of a width considerably exceeding the thickness ofthe handle. In addition to providing a comfortable grasping surface, this also acts as a stop to prevent the handle dropping downwardly through the opening 50 when the device is empty. In this form of device. as well as in thatnrst above described, the height oi the bail portion oi the handle exceeds that of the tops oi' the containedbottles, which in tin'n are at an elevation somewhat above the crest of the container, but the handle may be pressed downwardly to an extent such that the top of the bail is below the tops o! the bottles. This is for the purpose o! permitting stacking oi.' a number ot the illled containers one upon another: 'I'he support portions Il of the handle are interposed between and contacted by the tuck ilaps 32 on one side and Il on the other, whereby the tuck naps function to maintain the support portions in the plane of stress, thus availing of the strength of the material to best advantage by supporting them against distortion. By their pinching action upon the support portions of the handle, particularly when there are bottles in the carrier, the tuck naps operate to hold the handle in its elevated position, although permitting it to be slid downwardly when desired.

A distinct advantage of the device resides in the fact that neither its height nor its area dimensions materially exceed the corresponding overall dimensions of the group of bottles which it carries, and, as a consequence, a plurality of the complete packages may be placed in a tray or crate of standard and conventional size and form designed for the carrying of a corresponding number of bottles.

Subject matter herein disclosed but not claimed is claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 442,915, illed May 14, 1942, for bottle holders.

What I claim is:

l. A bottle carrier comprising a receptacle formed of a sheet of paper board or the like and having a bottom and-side panels arranged in triangular relationship and provided with a handleat the upper ends of the side panels, said bottom and panels being foldable relative to one another along parallel transverse crease lines to permit collapsing of the receptacle to flattened condition. end sections ilexibly connected to end margins of the bottom and foldable inwardly onto the upper surface thereof, lateral sections ilexibly connected to lateral margins of the side panels and foldable inwardly onto the inner surfaces thereof, the lateral sections which are connected to adjacent margins of the side panels being connected to each other at their upper ends and the lateral sections of one side panel being connected to the end sections and being exible relative thereto along fold lines extending obliquely relative to the bottom, and said end and side sections being shaped to form end walls extending angularly from the lateral lmargins of the side panels and end margins of the bottom in lo'- cations between the side walls when the receptacle is in its set-up triangular form.

2. A bottle carrier formed of sheet material and having a pair of side panels connected to each other at their upper ends and extending in divergent relationship therefrom, said side panels carrying lateral sections having end wall portions extending angularly from lateral margins of the side panels and tuck portions extending angularly from said end wall portions approximately midway between the side panels, and a handle extending through the sheet between the lateral margins of the side panels and having a bail portion disposed above the upper ends of the side panels and support portions engaged with said tuck portions between the side panels.

l 3. A bottle carrier as specied in claim 2 and wherein the adjacent tuck portions of opposite side panels have connections joining them at their upper ends and the handle has support portions extending outwardly irom the bail into supporting engagement with said connections.

4. A bottle carrier as specified in claim 2 and wherein the adjacent tuck portions of opposite side panels have connections joining them at their upper ends and bearing tongues flexible upwardly therefrom and the handle has support portions engaged under said bearing tongues.

5. A bottle carrier as specified in claim 2 and wherein the handle extends through the sheet at the upper ends of the side panels.

6. A bottle carrier comprising a receptacle formed of sheet material and having a bottom panel on which bottles may stand and side panels having their upper ends conjoined in angular relationship and their lower ends-conjoined to opposite side margins o the bottom panel and having lateral sections extending angularly from lateral margins of the side panels to form end walls at the ends of the bottom panel, portions of said lateral sections being deilected angularly from said end walls and forming strengthening members disposed between the side panels, and a separate handle extending through the sheet substantially on the line of junction of the side panels and having a bail portion disposed above the upper ends thereof and support portions extending outwardly from the bail portion under the crest of the receptacle and having supporting engagement with the receptacle in the crotch between the side panels closely adjacent the planes of the end walls.

7. A bottle carrier as specied in claim 6 and wherein certain of said lateral sections are connected 'at their lower ends to portions of the bottom panel between the side panels.

8. A bottle carrier as speciiied in claim 6 and wherein the side panels are provided with bottlereceiving apertures extending throughout the greater portion of their width and wherein certain of said lateral sections are connected at their lower ends to portions of the bottom panel between the side panels.

9. A bottle carrier as specified in claim 6 and wherein the support portions of the handle are frictionally engaged between oppositely disposed portions of the lateral sections.

10. A bottle carrier as specied in claim 6 and wherein the handle is formed of sheet material and its support portions are engaged on opposite sides by oppositely disposed portions of the lateral sections.

1l. A bottle carrier comprising a receptacle formed of sheet material and having a bottom panel on which bottles may stand and side panels whichare conjoined at their upper ends and at their lower ends are conjoined to opposite side margins of the bottom panel, lateral` sections conjoined to side margins of the side panels and having portions extending angularly therefrom to form end walls and aps extending angularly from the end walls over the bottom, certain of the end walls being connected at their lower ends to the bottom panel, and the adjacent flaps being connected to each other in their upper portions.

12. A bottle carrier comprising a receptacle formed of sheet material and having a bottom panel on which bottles may stand and side panels which are conjoined in angular relationship at a crest at their upper ends and at their lower ends handle extending through said slot and aiording a bail portion disposed above the crest and support portions which extend outwardly from the bail portion along and below the crest and having parts frlctlonally engaged between the naps of the juxtaposed lateral sections.

EDWIN L. ARNESON. 

